England's U17 set-up capped off a remarkable year for the nation's junior folds after bulldozing Spain 5-2 in the FIFA U17 world cup Final in Kolkata, India, on Saturday afternoon, coming back from 2-0 down.

There were many stand-out performers in Steve Cooper's valiant squad, and Manchester City's Phil Foden - who was nominated as the player of the tournament whilst also netting a clinically dispatched brace in the final - 'believes' that every member of the Young Lions' contingent is capable of breaking into their respective club's first-team squad, but insists that an element of 'patience' has to be apparent, if they're going to succeed in their mission of becoming even more of a renowned name in the modern game.

Patient

Age is certainly on his side and Foden, 17, has already received gleaming plaudits from Pep Guardiola previously after featuring in the Citizens' pre-season preparations in the summer. It's easy for a fledgling starlet to get ahead of themselves somewhat after accomplishing such an emphatic feat so early on in their flourishing career, but Foden, as reported by DNA India, understands that he has to remain focused on his football as well as "patient".

The Sky Blues' squad is laden with world class personnel, so it was never going to be an easy task for Foden to get recognised by his boss to start with, however after laying claim to the World Cup for his country, albeit at junior level - the classy, developing play-maker is certainly in excellent stead to do so, especially with 'Pep' already being an admirer of his talents.

Belief

With confidence soaring in the stratosphere, there simply are no limits to what Foden and his teammates can achieve in the future. Keeping their feet firmly planted on the turf is one thing, but one must be allowed the right to dream, now that they are considered to be the best collective on the planet in their respective age group.

Foden "believes" that he and his World Cup-winning teammates can become prolific characters in the sport, but admits that the road to stardom ahead is "going to be hard" to navigate.

It may not be at the club that they desire, but the composed, grounded teenager is adamant that "everyone will make it eventually," a statement which signifies his own burning desire to make it at the highest level possible, even if it means potentially moving away from the Etihad Stadium.

Success

Over the last few months, England's development teams have taken the globe by storm, winning the U20 World Cup, the U19 European Championship and the Toulon Tournament, a particular triumph which comprised an England squad that was predominantly propped up by U18 internationals amongst others. The future may appear bright for England's footballing future, but ultimately if the senior side is to prosper at major events further down the line, the hungry, young professionals which have proven themselves over the summer months have to be nurtured and taken seriously - it's also imperative that they are now given the chance to shine on the domestic stage once and for all in order to showcase their credentials.
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